So Keep Dancing Through
by Spark the Clairvoyant
Summary: Take one classic comedy by the Bard, add a few solo story ideas, and mix with Wicked. What do you get? This story. Based on Shakespeare's "As You Like It" Fiyero/Elphaba AU DISCONTINUED!
1. To Give Up a Daughter

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the inspiration of the plot.

The first belongs to a fine fellow named Gregory Maguire whose characters were then reworked by Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, and Mark Platt (Who also owns Elle Woods which explains why Galinda is the way she is) into the versions of the characters used in this story.

The second, although the text is free of copyright, has been written most famously by someone who I assume is a Stratfordian by the name of William Shakespeare, although there are conspiracy theories out about it not being the man from that time who had that name.

Also, this story is not complete at the time of writing, unlike the last one. However, I have another 10 chapters already written, and my buffer will never be less than that, so it won't be updating as regularly as Traitor (Which had all fifteen parts written when I posted the first two chapters.) But depending on my access to my Folger Edition of As You Like It, and my inspiration on how to twist it and misquote and/or misinterpret the Bard, it shouldn't drop down to less than one chapter a week. (For reference: Chapter 11- Act II, Scene VII, so I have three acts to go, but they'll be easy, I estimate 5-10 chapters depending on how much detail, deletion, and addition I have to the story)

I managed to come up with the premise to get Elphaba and Fiyero into Rosalind and Orlando roles, although the Elphaba one is like to have been done before. Unfortunately, I spent quite a bit of time world-building, so the first five chapters are only to explain how they got there. And now, the story.

* * *

It had been only days since he became the Wizard, and already there were issues. The main one was that the four areas of Oz were fiercely independent. The Ozma had barely managed to keep the different reigions from civil war, and he had no idea how she could manage without centralizing the government, which he chose to do.

Quadling Country in the South should be easy enough to control. They were peaceful and very servile. All he had to do was tell them what he wanted and they would do it. The Glikkus of the North-east would work like this as well.

The Vinkus, or as his advisors called it, Winkie Country or just simply the West, was the same, although unlike the south, it had managed to make use of its rich mineral supplies in the mountains through trade. The traders managed to bring back several technologies, and now had a decently educated elite, including development of its own royal family. He would have simply just killed them off, if it were not for the fact that the Winkies were armed and well-prepared. There was a young child. Perhaps he could make use of it and raise it to be loyal to him. He just needed the right regents before he could execute the plan.

The Northern Gillikin was even more of a mess than just Oz. It had several separate nobles and a council. With them, it was likely best to pursue a diplomatic team of loyal advisors and himself, but that could hold off.

The last, Munchkinland in the east, would be a problem. While there was a governor, which meant he could appoint one, the current Governor, a man by the name of Frex, had been calling for secession. He would have him killed too, but the deaths of two of the rulers would likely trace it back to him, so he chose to meet with the man in person.

He had met with the wife once, a lusty tryst a year or so ago while the Governor had been absent. He remembered it fondly, since he felt he actually fell in love with her.

"Welcome Wizard," Frex had said as the Wizard stepped out of the carriage. It was said roughly. "I'm surprised you had time in your busy schedule of controlling Oz to talk me into staying in it."

"I felt it was important to make sure the regime change went smoothly," The Wizard said. "I'll try to make sure Munchkinland gets its fair due of time spent to my interests."

"Convince me that this isn't an empty promise. The Ozmas and Tippetarius's regent said the same thing and never followed through."

The Wizard smirked "I'm here now, aren't I? I heard you have a wife, I would love to meet her." He wanted to add again, but there was no way. It was a dangerous thing to do, calling on the governor's wife, but she was from a Gillikin family and had been educated.

"Pretty good job of convincing you'll give me time, though I hope you don't give all that time to my wife."

_Too late for that_. The Wizard followed the Governor into a parlor where his wife was sitting. She was chewing on a local plant, milkweed flower he guessed.

"Melena," Frex said. "This is the Wizard. He has come to talk us out of seceding from Oz."

Melena looked up when she was addressed and looked shocked to see the Wizard in such power. "Pleasure to… meet you." She was very careful with her language.

The Wizard nodded. "I wish the same to you, Madame Thropp."

"She's pregnant with her second child."

"Congratulations," The Wizard said passively. "Although I heard milkweed flower is dangerous for pregnancies if that is what you're eating, Madame Thropp."

"There was an incident with our past child," Melena said. "Milkweed lightens things, so maybe it'll make our child fair."

The Wizard's curiosity was piqued. "What happened with your first?"

Melena didn't speak. She only clapped her hands once and a maid came, carrying a child not more than a few months old, drinking milk from a bottle. What austounded the Wizard was the color. She was the exact same color as the Elixir he had given Melena during their tryst. Theoretically, the child could be his.

"I see," he said. "How old is she?"

"Three months. Frex tried for another child as soon as she was born." She looked over to her husband. "Frex, the Wizard seems to be such a good man, we should really give him a chance."

Frex sighed. "If he wanted to be good he'd find a way of taking that freak off our hands."

"My goal as Wizard is to make people happy," The Wizard said. "If neither of you want her, I'll take her. I'll find her a home that wants her." _My home_.

This caused the Governor to smile. "Please do." He walked off. Melena looked up and dropped the formal pretense.

"Oscar, you're not doing this for him, you're doing it for you. Why is it?"

"I think she might be mine. She's three months, add that to a pregnancy and you get a year, which is when you seduced me. How is your marriage now?"

"Terrible. I hate what Frex is doing. I know how dangerous Milkweed is. And I hate getting pregnant immediately after Elphaba."

"She'll have a good home, and I can get him to stop with the Milkweed." He was getting romantic, but he had to give what people wanted, and Melena wanted a lover. "I'll make things fine, if you can give up your daughter."

"I will," said Melena, handing the child over. "But always keep Elphaba safe."

The Wizard took her hand and kissed it. "You can take her back if I don't."


	2. The Boy King of the Vinkus

The Wizard brought Elphaba to the Emerald City after he was done talking with Melena and Frex. He had to reassure the first in silence that she will be able to have contact with Elphaba and the latter that he will not discriminate based on Munchkinlanders.

Unfortunately he had drank quite a bit of alcohol and ended up revealing his plans for the West. Frex had wanted part under threat he would tell the Tiggulars.

"There's quite a bit of borderland between us," Frex had said. "King Maziar and I meet often, since that is where racial tensions are the strongest. I can warn him if I have to."

So the Wizard had given Frex a second wish during the visit, the ability to choose one of the child's regents. A family of well-off farmers were picked, partially because of their tendency to have college-educated people in each generation and partially because there was a boy of around the same age as the young prince.

And after picking a few other nobles from Gillikin, the assassination was executed and Prince Fiyero Tiggular became the Boy-King of the Vinkus. The various regent families had several duties. In addition to trying to plan what was best for the country and the king, he charged them to educate him.

They did, but he was highly sheltered, lucky to show up at public events, and never even hearing of the politics. He barely had any political theory to him.

All he knew when it came to being a king was it required showing up at balls. And dancing. He became a great dancer.

The people of the West adored every sparse appearance he made. It meant good things would be going on.

Some of the remaining attendants left from before the assassination taught him of the culture of the Vinkus, and he used his skills in dancing to manage to evade death when hunting.

During his first kill, at the age of fourteen, he was surprised by just how well he managed it. His attendants claimed they had nothing to do with it, and it was the natural talent passed on to him by his ancestors.

There was a dance a few nights later, where Fiyero bragged about it to a girl a few years younger than him who hailed from Munchkinland. She had trouble with walking, a slight limp with her feet tuned inward most of the time, but could still walk, and Fiyero found her quite a nice dancer. The two talked quite a bit about various topics. The two didn't agree much on anything. A few moments later, he mentioned the odd paradox of her walking and dancing abilities.

"I know this sounds stupid," She said shyly. "But it's because I rely more on my partner than myself when I dance."

"That doesn't sound stupid at all," Fiyero said. "I quite like the idea of being in control. Oh shit. I didn't mean that. I'm so sorry."

The girl had giggled, telling him that she knew what he meant. However, Fiyero's advisors, especially the Munchkinlander family who led his team of regents along with several unimportant and unhappy Gillikin lords and a young Vinkus-by-birth young man twenty years older than him named Avaric, were not pleased by what had occurred that night, saying he overstayed his boundaries and treated the poor girl in a very cruel way.

Even when he got a letter from the girl insisting that it wasn't his bad joke (His _only_ bad joke that he could remember ever making) that caused her to be upset, but the fact that her father had told her to head to bed early on, and that it was soon after he had finished that she had to return to the room she and her father stayed in when visiting.

However, after a continued apology to the girl, she didn't respond. He had wished he could have gotten to know her better, as a friend, but it seemed she had never gotten the letter, or a few that he wrote later.

Unlike Frex's hope, though, the child of the Munchkin Regents didn't get along well with him. Boq, as he was called, felt overshadowed by the naïve yet charismatic and well-loved Fiyero, so when his parents died shortly after he turned sixteen, he became the head regent in his father's stead. Fiyero's public appearances stopped when that occurred.

He was hardly upset, having been sheltered from politics, although he did quite miss dancing in a crowd. But there was no one to really listen to him, since only one of the advisors from the time when his father was alive was left. He had several advisors, and not one that was loyal to him, not that he knew it very well. They had sheltered him pretty well from politics to keep him from ever knowing.

At least Avaric was loyal to him. He learned quite a few things he shouldn't from the stray regent. Unlike the others, he wasn't picked through loyalty to the Wizard. Instead, Avaric managed to keep his position though the fact he was young at the time and thought the other regents could teach him how to think.

Whoever made the decision, both Fiyero and Avaric were convinced it was the Wizard (When in truth it was his right-hand spellcaster Madame Morrible.), was wrong. Avaric remembered the pledge he made as being to the King of the Vinkus, and not to any other ruler. He fed what little information he figured he could get away with to Fiyero, hoping it would be enough. It never was, but the hopes that more would come kept Fiyero as loyal to Avaric as Avaric was to Fiyero.

He hated keeping the king from the news of the world, but all the same, he knew he had to keep some things secret to keep from being found out for passing on the truth to Fiyero. He was surprised by how secret Fiyero kept the information he was given from being revealed to anyone.

Both knew that one day, Fiyero would crack and want to know what he was not being told. Avaric hoped the day would never come. Fiyero did.


	3. Galinda

Elphaba's life with the Wizard was charmed. She spent most of her free time in the vast library he had prepared after noticing her studious nature. The Wizard encouraged every talent the girl had, including getting her the most powerful sorceress he could find to train her when he noticed she once accidentally broke a glass just by looking at it. Thankfully, the most powerful sorceress he could find happened to already be in his care, a woman by the name of Madame Morrible. She was quite pleased with the girl's natural gifts, and encouraged it whenever possible.

Elphaba was quite an interesting child that always left the Wizard guessing, personality wise. She was an absolute delight when she was happy, but she could be quite dangerous when mad, especially once she had control over her powers, so when his trusted advisor Lord Upland, brought his five-year-old daughter with him shortly after Elphaba's sixth birthday, he brought the two together immediately and they bonded, if the request for Galinda to join in Elphaba's lessons meant anything.

Lord Upland was quite amused by his daughter's response to the day.

"She's different from me, and I first thought we wouldn't be friends, but she showed me what she liked, books. Isn't that strange, Daddykins? What's funny is she gave me one to look at… and I liked it. I figure if I have to like her I better try to want to, and the wanting works! I even put some make-up on her, and she looked really pretty. Daddykins? Daddykins, are you looking at me?"

Lord Upland nodded. With the news that Galinda was joining classes, it meant the two must have made an impression.

As the years went by, Galinda gave Elphaba makeovers and Elphaba gave Galinda a loe of books, if only the fantasy section of her large library. They continually spoke to each other about whatever struck their fancy, although Elphaba often tuned out whenever Galinda's topic turned to the trashy magazines she had an interest in.

"I can't believe we're like this," Elphaba said. "I know I was surprised when you accepted me immediately."

"Elphie," Galinda replied, giggling. "Why would you ever think people wouldn't accept you?"

She looked away. "Some of the nobles don't really care for me. They think it's strange I'm green."

"Elphie, you're over-thinking all of this. I don't think I ever gave a thought to your skin. I was just excited to play with Princess Elphie. I got to know you really well before I really noticed anything different about you."

"I know you've certainly changed me. I know I'll be quite the scandal once we're old enough to go about the Emerald City un chaperoned."

"I'll say, all the magazines will be calling you the Scandalicious Princess."

Elphaba laughed. "You seriously think scandalicious would still be in use then?"

Galinda giggled at the remark. "Elphie, the word will never go out of style."

The two girls descended into a laughing fit and pretended to be, as Galinda put it "Swankified society dames out for a night on the City."

"We'll go to Aquamarine of course," Elphaba said. "Daddy always has escorts take me there during his busy meetings. The chef loves me because I act so grown-up."

"Are there any attractive boys there?" Galinda giggled again. "You know, ones who'd foot the bill for us?"

Elphaba shrugged. "Daddy always pays for the meal when I go. But yes, quite a few boys have offered, since I look a bit older than I am. But they're stupid because they keep the glasses on. I wouldn't accept them even if I did have to pay my way otherwise. When a boy offers to pay for a meal when he has them off, I'd accept."

"Come on, Elphie, if they take the glasses off, they'd know you're the princess, the wealthiest girl of all Oz and wouldn't need to have some attractive boy pay for you. We're stalling, so after some cute boys a few years older pay, whether or not they take off the glasses, where would we go?"

Elphaba sighed. "Chromium. I keep on hearing how amazing its drinks are. And there, I can just be some girl under the green lights, surprising my dance partners that I'm the princess after I dance."

"Maybe the Boy-King would be there. I hear he's a great dancer."

Elphaba looked away. "But he stays in the Vinkus, and his regents are very protective."

"Let's say he snuck out? Would you two dance?" Galinda adopted a deep falsetto and held out her hand. "Pardon me miss, I couldn't help but notice you drinking that Green Envy when there's a song playing. Someone as pretty as you shouldn't be waiting out the song. Care to dance?"

Elphaba laughed. "Galinda."

"Not Galinda," She said, keeping the fake voice. "I am just a mysterious traveler from the West. Now, please dance." Elphaba suppressed a chuckle and took Galinda's hand. "So where are you from?"

Elphaba laughed again. "I live in the City, but I don't really get to explore these areas as much as I want to. My dad lives nearby and so he'd probably drag me back to my apartment if he knew I was here."

"That's interesting. Where is it?"

"Right by the Emerald Palace. It's so close it's like I live there. I feel so lucky. So what brings a young Vinkus man to the Emerald City?"

Galinda whirled Elphaba out. "Oh you know, business, the usual. Might I say, that the lights make you look such a fascinating shade of green? I think I'd rather like you that color rather that that pale I always see on the Gillikin advisors for King Fiyero."

Elphaba just stopped and laughed a bit. "Oh come on, there's no way he'd say that."

Galinda huffed. "Come come Elphie, you never know. I bet he would think you'd be lovely. After all, he is a king!" Galinda chirped the last word happily. "He's the only one the Wizard would ever possibly say yes to you marrying."

"I'd prefer a room full of sexy young man consorts to father my children. Once I'm with child, I'll pick the one who was most likely the father and marry him."

Galinda laughed. "Whatever you say, my Scandalicious Princess." Elphaba whacked her again playfully. "Hey!"

"Don't call me that again, Galinda, understand?"

Galinda giggled, knowing that Elphaba probably wouldn't follow through on the thread. After all, the two were best friends, and Elphaba needed a best friend. Elphaba joined in the laughter a moment later.


	4. No Longer Princess

A few years later, only a few weeks before Elphaba became an adult, and thus preparing to head off to University, Galinda had given her news that there was unrest with a group of the Gillikin Nobles. Elphaba immediately ran to her father's throne room to find the Gillikin Nobles, as well as the Governor, standing in two separate groups. Some surrounded the Wizard, protecting him from the second group, which held varying weapons.

Lord Upland, who was part of the second group noticed her and held the musket to Elphaba's head. "If you won't step down, I'll end her life right now, so that when you die, which even if we don't kill you won't be more than ten years from now, it won't be your line that will take over.

"Don't worry Elphaba," The Wizard shouted. "He won't hurt you. Galinda would never forgive him."

"You think I'm bluffing, do you, Wizard?" Lord Upland shouted. "I don't care what she thinks. I wouldn't need her for anything except marrying who I choose to succeed me once I'm married. She can hate me all I like, and I don't care."

"Daddy," Elphaba said. "Don't worry about me." She tried to prepare a spell, but another few nobles came, one grabbing her mouth and the other binding her hands with a noose that was in his hand.

"I won't let you hurt her Upland." The Wizard collapsed. "You win. Take Oz. Just… don't get rid of Elphaba. She can be a Lady of the new princess's court. The Wizard walked, broken hearted out of the room, his supporting lords following him.

"Get anywhere near the Emerald City," The Governor said. "And I'll make sure you and your daughter are dead."

The Wizard nodded mournfully and left the palace. The two lords that held her for the exchange reluctantly freed her. She nearly collapsed.

"You," Lord Upland said pointing his gun at Elphaba. "Clear your room for my daughter, I'll get you a room fitting your slightly lowered status of a simple Lady-in-Waiting" The lords of the now-King walked past her, with the governor spitting at her feet as he walked by. Elphaba walked the other way, to her room.

"Don't worry, Elphie," Galinda said that night, sitting on the bed. "I'll let us have sleepovers here every night. It'll be your room too. Even though there's only one bed. I know! Your eighteenth birthday is coming up in a few weeks, right?" Elphaba nodded forlornly. "Why don't we have that night we've always been planning. You know, dinner at Aquamarine, then go clubbing at Chromium. I hear there's going to be a dance contest."

Elphaba hugged Galinda. "Thanks."

There was a knock on the door and Elphaba opened it.

"It's you, Princess," The Monkey in the door said. "I must have been hearing things when I heard it said you were thrown out."

Elphaba looked away. "Oh Chistery, if only that were a false rumor. I'm just glad that Lord… King Upland didn't throw you out."

Chistery laughed. "Elphaba, I'm lucky I managed to keep my speech because of you. Your father had me stationed as a fool, and that I still am, only now for a new king. But you'll stay my princess." Elphaba fell to her knees and hugged the Monkey. "Thanks Princess, you have no idea what this means to me too."

That night, Galinda spent the time playing with Elphaba's hair as her friend told all the nice stories about the Wizard and how he treated her.

"He told me to think of him as my real father," Elphaba said and Galinda braided and un-braided her hair. "Even though I was adopted. He knew a lot of people would hate the fact he took on a successor early on, and a newborn at that. I guess he felt sorry for me, a pathetic, sharp-toothed cabbage. The orphanage must have been glad he took me off their hands."

Galinda interrupted. "Don't say that Elphie."

"Why not?"

"Well, I know I never knew you weren't his real daughter, but that's because I always saw so much of him in you. He always made the real him available to the highest nobles, you know."

Elphaba nodded. "But I'm not sure why he picked me as a child if not for the fact I must have been the most unlucky thing he could find and use that to show that if he could make my dreams come true, then he could make anyone's."

"You have the same color eyes."

"Brown's a very common color, Galinda."

"I know that," Galinda said as if it was obvious. "But it's not just brown it's… the same shade of brown."

"I never really paid attention, Galinda," Elphaba said. "And I guess he didn't either. I'm sure a lot of people have the same color as us. Like I said, Brown is a common eye color. It's nothing to think we're related."

Galinda giggled. "Who knows, maybe he would have told you when you're older."

"Maybe," Elphaba said distantly before burying herself in a nearby book, one of the romances Galinda had started to wear out. The two were indignant and didn't speak for a few hours.

Then Galinda shouted "This is infuriating, Elphie. Why can't you talk about this?"

"I'll be fine, Galinda," Elphaba said. "You know me. Everything's fine."


	5. To Dance Again

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated this in what must've felt like forever. I managed to have access to Spore and kind of ended up giving up my creativity to things like creature creation and Spice Trading and Terraforming and Giant Holographic Preachers With Overly Hilarious Southern Accents (Why do I always start out Religious in Civ? I wanna be Economic, yes I know how to do it, no I can never manage to balance between Friendly and Warlike enough?) So I didn't have time and/or creativity to write 15 and would hate myself if I posted this without a lick of that chapter written. Now I'm back at School, where I have no access to that awesome game, I was able to get enough creativity to write 700 words of it.**

**Erm, anyway, here's the story.**

* * *

Fiyero walked next to the second-youngest of his former regents, now advisors since he reached age a year ago. The two walked in the gardens inside a cloister of the palace in silence, until Fiyero had the courage to speak up

"It's been a year, Avaric," He said. "I should feel like I have some sort of free reign now I shouldn't need them, but Boq, you know Boq…"

"How can I not?" Avaric said. A little bit of sarcasm echoed in his tone. "Surprisingly young, and the head regent. I remember when all this happened and it was his parents."

"Oh yeah," Fiyero was distant. "I forgot, you were just about the only noble besides myself not relieved of their duties."

Avaric shrugged. "Back then I was about your age."

"Anyway," Fiyero said. "You'd think I would at least have gone to my own coming-of-age ball, and be able to go the meetings of my advisors, but no, Boq says it doesn't concern me, that I wouldn't understand it. I'd try if he gave me the chance."

Avaric looked upon the King. The other advisors had forbade him from revealing the plans to shelter the king from politics.

"There's a dance contest in a few weeks," Fiyero said, changing the topic. "In the Emerald City. I'm going to sneak out and go there. If I can't dance as King, I can dance as an unknown participant."

Avaric spotted the head Advisor watching from nearby. "Be careful how you say that, Your Majesty."

"Come come, Av, what could be wrong?"

Boq started walking towards the two. "Boq is coming now."

"You'll see what a bastard he is to me then, Av."

Avaric hardly needed convincing.

"Why hello there Lord Boq," Fiyero said, sarcastically. "Can I speak with you for a minute?"

Boq shrugged it off and ignored him.

"Please, my dear Munchkin advisor," Fiyero said, moving to cut off Boq's path. "Just once, please, may I go to an advisor meeting?"

"You wouldn't understand it, since you don't know a lick of politics." Boq moved to head a different way, but Fiyero glided in front of him.

"But I'd try, dear advisor. Give me that little tiny chance, please?"

"Let me think about that," Boq said, putting a hand to his temple, making a thoughtful noise for a moment sarcastically. "No." He lifted a hand, forgetting for the moment that he was not, in fact, the one who held the most power in the situation. Had Fiyero known politics like the Wizard had requested, then Fiyero would have known such an action gave him permission to execute the striker. But Fiyero didn't know, so he relied on one of the two things he did know, how to defend himself, from humans and wild animals alike.

Fiyero grabbed it and held it behind him, a move that put him in power over his attacker. Boq found himself in quite searing pain in his forearm and shoulder and everywhere in between. He tried pulling out, but Fiyero used his other hand to pull him close, preventing the escape.

"You forget that I know how to defend myself, my dear advisor, so please listen to this, I want to learn to rule by myself, and that was the role your parents were charged with by the Wizard, I waited patiently for a year and I'm tired of waiting longer. I could let my nature as one of those 'barbarous Winkies' take over and kill you all except Avaric, who I know would take my side in this case. Just one meeting, that's all I ask. For now."

Fiyero released Boq. "I could have done that all day, but fighting isn't my thing, dear Advisor. I much prefer dancing."

"Dance your life away then," Boq said. "But I'll let you come to the meeting next month. I doubt you would understand it, come you damn royalist." Boq motioned for Avaric to follow.

"Is that all I am to you, being the only surviving lord of his father's court? A damn royalist? I think I'll skip today's meeting, Boq." Avaric followed Fiyero as the two headed inside. A messenger from the Emerald City came.

"Well, hello there Morrible," Boq said. "How nice of you to come. What's new in the City?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," She said. "Only that the Wizard has been deposed of by a group of Gillikin Nobles and the Governor of Munchkinland."

"How odd, the very man who encouraged the Wizard to put my family here was against him."

"What of here?" Morrible asked.

"I suppose you heard of sheltering the King, correct?"

Morrible nodded. "I kept it from the Wizard, knowing that he would have none of it. It's for the better I suppose."

"I overheard him tell the Royalist of plans to dance in that publicity tournament in a few days. Perhaps you can sneak in there and have him slip and break his neck. You can do, magic, of course."

"I'll make it look like an accident that Winkie died," Morrible said.

"Thank you."

"But," Morrible said. "If you don't mind me asking, what is it that drives you to shelter him further than the original plan of the regents."

Boq shook his head. "I don't know, jealousy, I guess. Especially during one of his last public appearances. I had made something great for him to say, and he got all the credit. He is so loved by the Winkies." Boq laughed. "So easy going. I want that life."

Morrible nodded. "I see. Farewell dear Munchkin." Morrible waved dismissively and left. Boq felt like this was something he shouldn't have done, but reminded himself it was for the best before returning to his room. After all, should Fiyero die, he would be in charge. He only hoped that the advisors wouldn't turn on him in such a situation.


	6. A Long Expected Party

(With apologies to a Mister Tolkien for the chapter title.)

"Are you sure this will work?" Elphaba said, covering herself with a long coat. "How can you trust that no one will notice the fact I am green and it's not just the specs, or the lights?"

Galinda giggled. "Trust me, no one will." Galinda then squealed excitedly "Ooh, Elphie, can you believe it? You actually get to be the rebellious princess!"

"I'm not, Galinda," Elphaba said distantly. "Daddy's banished. You're the rebellious princess."

"But I can blend in all too easy," Galinda said. "And besides, shouldn't you get over the whole banishment thing? It's your eighteenth birthday. If nothing else, you can go get drunk at the bar."

Elphaba shrugged. "So let's go."

"Go where, Princess?" Chistery said walking towards them.

Galinda giggled nervously. "It's nowhere, Monkey. Don't worry."

Chistery chattered a little. "I know where you two are going. Just consider yourself lucky I have no intention to rat on you both to your father, Galinda."

"I hate that word," Elphaba muttered.

"Elphie, let's go!" Glinda said, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling her to the door.

"I'll find you two if there are any changes!" Chistery shouted as the two ran through the doors to the palace, both laughing. Neither had expected that there would be any change in the night, nor did the two of them expect that if there were a change in the night that Chistery would be able to reach them in time to warn the two girls properly.

The two first went to Aquamarine, where neither of the girls were recognized. Galinda wanted to tell the waiter it was "My friend's eighteenth" but Elphaba told her that she wanted to wait until later to drink, if she did at all. Galinda paid, saying it was her treat and that Elphaba wouldn't have to pay her back.

After dinner, the two girls giggled most of the way until they found themselves in the main streets for the City's nightlife, and even then, Galinda found herself still giggling.

"I can't believe we did that so well, Elphie. Didn't you get the thrill?"

Elphaba shook her head. "They're not on the look-out for me anymore. I can disappear if I want to. I half-expect your father would go back on his word and kill me when he gets the chance."

Galinda shook her head. "Come on, it's your birthday, cheer up more. Do I need to be reminding you the whole night?"

"You'll be reminding me to drink water the whole night." That earned nothing but a scoff from her friend.

"I'll get you away from the bar, Elphie. Now close your eyes."

Elphaba looked at her questioningly. "I know where we're going Galinda."

"Humor me, Elphie." Elphaba rolled her eyes and did what Galinda asked.

She could feel Galinda trying to lead her while simultaneously darting through the crowds while trying to lead her. Elphaba let out a nervous laugh at Galinda not sure what idea was better. All it got was a chiding "Elphie…" from her friend.

After about five minutes of doing so, Galinda finally said. "Okay Elphie, open them."

Elphaba gasped as she saw the sign for Chromium. "It's odd, I never thought I'd be here."

"Even though we've been planning for four years?" Galinda said suspiciously.

"Especially because we planned this for four years."

Galinda grabbed her hand again. "Well why don't we finally grant your heart's desire?"

Inside a man in a bright green suit greeted the two and asked to take their coats, which Galinda offered quickly while Elphaba took a moment to remove hers.

"You're looking fancy," The man said. "A little early to be part of the post-theater crowd we get." Elphaba glared, but the man wolf-whistled.

Elphaba went to the bar.

"Hey there," The bartender said. "What do you want?"

"Get her something special," Galinda said popping up. "It's her eighteenth." Elphaba whacked Galinda.

"Your eighteenth, is it? Happy Birthday to you, cutie. How about a Green Envy, on the house?"

Elphaba shrugged. "I guess so."

Galinda snuck off to the dance floor while the bartender quizzed Elphaba, and eventually begged her to stop after her third drink.

While Galinda danced and Elphaba drank, Fiyero managed to make it into Chromium, surprised that he managed to get there for the first few moments.

Across from the coat check, he saw forms for the dance contest, and immediately filled out, using some nonsense name he wasn't even certain he would remember. Thankfully, they gave him a pin with a numbered badge on it for identification. He had gotten there a little early, so he decided to look around.

Most of the people on the dance floor were with someone else, on a date. During the balls, his regents always had a few girls around his age assigned to him. Remembering what he saw one do during one of his last dances, he looked around again, this time to find a suitable woman.

"What do you mean I can't have any more?"

His immediately focused on where he heard the complaint. A mildly drunk young woman was yelling at the barkeeper. She needed something to get her mind off drinking, perhaps just waiting for someone to ask her to the floor.

The barkeeper tried reassuring the young woman about something that Fiyero didn't understand.

"But it's my birthday," The girl said.

"Then happy birthday," Fiyero said. "Shouldn't a young woman who was brought here dance like her friends intended her to?"

The woman glared at him for a moment, sizing him up.

"I won't try anything," He said. "You look like you can defend yourself."

She gave him his hand. "Do beware I will beat you to within an inch of your life if you were lying."

Fiyero smirked. "Of course."

He led her to the dance floor. She was somewhat clumsy when he led her. He wasn't quite sure if the girl had never danced or because of whatever she had drank at the bar.

"So where are you from?" He tried asking over the music playing. She looked at him for a moment confused. "Where do you live?"

"I'm pretty local," She said. "Lived here pretty much my whole life."

"Lucky you. It took me forever to get here. But that's probably because I had to walk." He pulled her closer as the music changed to a slower song. She resisted and tried to move away. "Sorry, I thought that you might want to…"

"Dance more? I guess I should. I'm… just not used to being touched by strangers."

He helped position her to dance, noticing that her dress was high-grade silk, as well as that he often saw the ladies wear at the balls. "You a noble?"

She glared at him "That's a personal question. I don't see why I should answer it."

"Yeah, sorry." He had hoped that maybe if this girl was a noble, she might give him the latest gossip about politics, but whether or not she was, he didn't.

"So where are you from?" She said after some silence. "You've been asking me all these questions about me."

"I'm from… the Vinkus," He decided to answer truthfully.

"Oh." That was it for a while and then. "I'm sorry, I'm not a very good dancer. I've never done it before."

Fiyero smiled. "You're doing fine. Especially for however much of whatever you drank."

She let out a giggle and looked immediately shocked. "Lurline, I'm turning into Galinda. I'm never drinking again."

Galinda must have been a friend of hers. "Well, if that's what it takes. I was hoping I'd be enough."

She stiffened in his arms and she noticed the badge he was wearing. "You're here for the contest?"

He nodded.

She pulled out a necklace she was wearing and muttered something. "Wear this. It's a good luck charm."

"Will I get to keep it?"

"I'll think about it. Talk to me afterwards and I'll let you know. Just… don't let anyone see you wear it." She walked off to an over-eager blonde girl and the two started talking with each other excitedly

Fiyero examined the necklace a moment, deciding following her advice could be put off for a few moments. It was a strange pattern, resembling leaves and a knot at the same time. He followed a line for a moment, realizing that he ended up back at his starting point and had gone over every bit. It was quite a beautiful design really. He had to ask her what it was called, and why she gave it to him. He made a promise to himself that he'd ask that beautiful girl to dance again after the contest was over and she was slightly more sober, seeing as how her friend gave her something that was likely water or some other non-alcoholic drink.

He heard the number he wore called and stuffed the necklace under the shirt he wore and walked to where he was called. Time for the Contest.


	7. The Contest

**A/N: Okay, I actually haven't written much of chapter 17 yet, but the thing is, this chapter is pretty much a continuation of the previous one, starting at the same point as the last one ended (Even a bit before) So I would hate to wait for inspiration to strike again just so you get this scene, which is quite possibly one of my favorites I've written for this story. After this though, I might put this story on Hiatus, as most of my inspiration seems to be going to an attempt to write a bookverse tale called "Keeping Safe" that I am doing well on. Besides, it seemed my estimate of not more than 20 chapters on this one is very short of the mark, and I have at least another 10 to go, unless I rush things and really destroy the character of Touchstone/Chistery and his side plot. I've already pretty much downsized Jacques, and I don't want to do that with another character by the Bard (Or more appropriately, popularized by the Bard) So here we go, chapter Seven.**

"Ooh, Elphie," Galinda said giggling again. "I saw you, you silly flirt!"

"Saw me do what, Galinda?"

Galinda smirked. "I saw you dancing with that mysterious boy. Don't you want him?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about. These lights make even you have my color, it must have been some other girl." Galinda laughed loudly at Elphaba's denial.

"Elphie, Elphie, Elphie, you gave him your pendant, there's no denying that it was you or," Galinda paused for a moment. "That you're in love with him."

"That's impossible. How can I love a man who I don't know the name of, let alone doesn't know who I am?"

"So you did dance with him."

"Shit! I didn't mean that…"

"Why'd you give him your necklace Elphie?"

Elphaba shrugged. "I don't know, Galinda. I thought I felt a threat on his life and cast a charm on it."

Galinda laughed. "That proves it Elphie. You have to care for him if you're willing to protect him."

"How could I, all I know is what he looks like and he's from the Vinkus. I don't even know his name."

"For some reason, I think we went over this scenario before it happened. Who was the mysterious Winkie that time? I know! Fiyero Tiggular."

For the second time that night, Elphaba extended her hand to gently punch Galinda as a request to stop going down the path.

"All right, all right. Lurline, Elphie. I get it. We can discuss this later."

"Attention everyone," The lead musician said. "We have a special treat tonight. For the first time, Chromium is hosting a freestyle dance contest." Cheers erupted. "And may we also welcome our very special guest, King Trebo Upland and his trusted advisor Madame Miriam Morrible. Elphaba and Galinda tried to hide in the crowd as Galinda's father made it to a podium.

"Galinda," He said loudly. "I figured you might have headed here. You always said you were going to take Elphaba here on her eighteenth birthday. Why don't you and she come and watch with us? I actually prepared seats for both of you."

Galinda tried to decline, but ended up unable to when her father promised her a nice announcement.

"As long as Elphie also has a space next to me, Daddy," Galinda said. "And she wants it too."

"I already told you sweetheart, she does. There's four there."

"I'll take it," Elphaba said.

The musician noticed and suddenly added. "King Upland is also attended by his daughter Galinda and her friend Elphaba, who is celebrating her eighteenth birthday here tonight."

The crowds roared again. Elphaba looked over onto the remaining people on the floor, her dancing partner looking very shocked at the revelation of who she was. She saw him feel around his shirt, trying to locate the necklace, and managed to stealthily look at it before he chose to hide it again.

Yet after the initial shock, he seemed confident. She failed to hide her smile because Galinda nudged her and giggled.

"You're so crushifying on him, Elphie. And he's crushifying on you, too."

"Stop it," Elphaba whispered sharply.

The musician gave the basic rules. (No touching the other contestants, no lewd dancing, it's up to the judges and guests of honor what that means, the usual, Elphaba supposed.) The drummer started up the beat and the contest began.

The boy was doing well and managed to avoid the other dancers carefully, keeping to one spot, nearest where Elphaba sat.

Elphaba noticed Morrible start to mutter something while looking at him. Elphaba was certain that the enchantment she put on her necklace was enough. But casting a quick protection spell couldn't hurt, could it?

Elphaba could almost see Morrible's spell as it moved away from the boy. But why did Morrible try? And why did she start to try again?

Elphaba managed to recast the protection again and again. She wondered what Morrible's spell was. Each time, the spell managed to move away from all the people.

However, on the fifth or sixth casting, the spell rebounded and hit one of the few remaining contestants. Elphaba was mortified when the dancer slipped on something that wasn't anywhere near slick, fell, and had his neck snapped.

The music stopped.

"Well, I guess we should stop with that, one of the dancers was too exhausted to pull off his moves and hurt himself." The musician tried to reassure the audience. A girl, likely the poor man's girlfriend, ran to the floor, crying. She and a few of the removed dance contestants pulled him off the stage.

"I think we should change our pace with these last two gentlemen. How about slowing it down a bit? Numbers 18 and 23, why don't you take your girlfriend for a spin?"

Elphaba expected the boy to seek out a random other girl, perhaps even the girlfriend of the man that died. But that girl was gone, and she saw the boy walk up nervously and hold out his hand.

The few people he passed to make it up to the table stared. She figured Galinda's father would hold it against her, since he came all this way to watch, and even let it go when it was learned she and Galinda had snuck out, since he was planning on taking the two anyway. It was best to not find a reason to slight him and banish her like he did her father.

She took the boy's hand, and once again, he led her to the dance floor as the music began to slow.

The other dancer was whispering sweet nothings to the girl he picked, but Elphaba was content in just letting the music guide the two of them. He was quite a nice dancer. Galinda told her that amazing dancing was a trait of the Boy-King. But he couldn't be Fiyero, could he?

She looked at Morrible, once again preparing a spell. Judging by the energy Elphaba could sense. There was no time to create a proper spell. Elphaba clung to her partner tightly praying for one of her rare accidental slip-ups with her talent would manage to protect them.

It surprised her partner, though no words came from his mouth. He just continued with leading her around, as if it were just some surprising show of affection.

He spun in between Morrible and Elphaba at the moment the spell was released. Elphaba had no idea whether he knew about the magic or it was just chance. Nor did she know if it was the pendant that saved him or she managed to get the protection spell up. Morrible looked darkly on the two and left the building.

Elphaba grinned broadly at that victory. Her smile made the boy smile.

"I think that boy is getting a little too comfortable with Miss Elphaba," King Upland said.

And thus he didn't win. He seemed devastated at not winning the contest.

"It's fine," Elphaba said. "I think he was lying about that. You can keep the necklace though."

"Elphaba, Galinda," King Upland said. "With me to the palace."

Elphaba managed a meek goodbye.

Fiyero stood there speechless as Elphaba left. Not like he could speak to her afterwards. She was the daughter of the mysterious Wizard he kept hearing about. And the man had been introduced as the King of Oz. That was supposed to be the Wizard's position. Or was that just how the Wizard was received? Well, if the few mutters he heard from his advisors were true, then the lights hadn't changed her color much, but he liked her beauty as green.

He had never known how to speak to someone of equal or greater status than him, or at least was supposed to be, so he found it better to stay silent, for fear he had insulted her before with how he spoke to her. Although she had seemed contented even after he knew.

At least he could keep the necklace.


	8. Banishment

**Bad news: I lost my USB containing all my stories, so this, Keeping Safe, and some other stories I wrote when bored are lost. Good News: I'm not letting that put this on hiatus. I'm sticking with the same events in each chapter that had been written in this story, I have a non-current copy of the first two chapters of Keeping Safe somewhere, and I have inspiration for a third story which, while my original plan was for it to be serious, seems to have decided to take a Pushing Daisies-esque voice to the narration, which will lead to no references in the story beyond maybe overuse of "The Facts Were These," mild use of In Media Res, and no more than one instance of Galinda wearing a lime Green minidress. So with my little pity party out of the way, I give you my second take at writing this chapter.**

"I can't believe you, Elphaba," Lord Upland said furiously as he dragged Galinda and her friend to the palace. Elphaba was still mildly out of it from the alcohol she had earlier that night and giggled before she realized the situation.

"What is it, sir?" She asked, trying to be, and succeeding at being, calm about the ordeal. "If this is about the fact you suspect I drank too much tonight, you cannot say, since I am a legal adult and there are no restrictions on that. Besides, you can't prove I drank a thing."

Galinda was surprised by her friend's collected tone. She didn't show any completely overt signs of being drunk. She could tell from the mild jumping of the eye and the fact Elphaba was relying a bit too heavily on the wall to keep her strait.

Her father didn't quite notice the signs, however, and said "I suppose you are correct on both counts. But that is not why I am upset with you. Back when The Wizard ruled, you seemed to be quite a strait-laced girl, and that you would be a good influence on her. Unfortunately, with the removal of your adoptive father, it seems your roots in the filthy streets of lower-class Oz have taken root. You have corrupted my beautiful daughter as well, bringing her to a bar while she is still underage, sixteen."

"Father, I brought her to Chromium, not the other way around. And I didn't lie about my age, the contest allowed all over fifteen to come watch, but had ways of finding out the age so that only those old enough could drink."

"You wouldn't have taken her there if she hadn't corrupted you first." Lord Upland practically spat the pronoun out, as if Elphaba didn't even deserve to be gendered due to the Wizard's lie that she was common. "I tried to be kind to you and the Wizard, and keep her here. I thought that the well-mannered girl would have been a good lady-in-waiting for you, and instead she takes you to a club, gets drunk, and dances with a runaway king!"

Elphaba nearly collapsed when she heard that. "King? That-that boy was the king of the Vinkus?"

Lord Upland rolled his eyes as if the case were highly obvious. "Honestly, who did you expect it to be?"

Elphaba shrugged, something she likely wouldn't have done were she sober. "Just some Vinkus passer-by who liked to dance."

"Please, don't let your unrefined pedigree win over your teachings. No Winkie would, no, could dance like that. He's very troublesome himself, guess I should let the regents know that letting him live was another of the Wizard's mistakes. However, dear, I'll be fair and not kill you. Instead, go into the world as you should be. And if you get anywhere near the palace or the royal family again, you're gone."

Lord Upland left, content that his warning would be enough.

"I can't believe Daddy did that, Elphie," Galinda said. "He can't kick you out."

"But he has," Elphaba said. "I can't believe how your crazy little make-believe all those years ago kind of came true. I danced with the King… He was a good dancer, and it certainly would explain my sense of foreboding I felt."

"Listen, Elphie, I don't care what Daddykins says, I'm not going to leave you alone. I'm coming too, even if I have to be in disguise as a maid or something. Yes, I- I'll be your maid in exile. I'll be… Dareka. It's a little common, but I kind of like common."

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't think it's a good sign for me to be out and about, clearly in exile, Galinda. You can still come, as Dareka, but as my sister, not servant."

"How would you be in disguise?"

Elphaba smiled "I managed to learn a spell that I believe can illusion me pale for a few days, and I think I can keep casting it when it wears off."

Galinda smiled. "That sounds fun, so what'll your name be?"

Elphaba thought, the drinks from before not seeming to hinder her thought process. "I think I'll disguise myself as a man," She said. At Galinda's shocked expression she continued. "I'm kind of distinct in ways other than color. I'm kind of gawky and a bit narrow for an eighteen-year-old girl, but not for a sixteen-year-old boy."

Galinda nodded, hoping Elphaba had more of a thought process than showing up.

"I can be a boy, yes, but perhaps allude to my true nature in some way, in that we can search for my father, and he would know. There are rumors that Ozma is locked away in the form of a boy. Ozma Tippe- Ozma Tip- I can't remember her title right now, so I'll be Tip."

"That's a good idea Elphie, let's go get some clothes."

"And Chistery!" Elphaba added. "I don't think your father would be anywhere near as forgiving to him as mine was as soon as I'm out of the way. I don't want him to die."

"Princess!" Chistery said yelling. "I just heard about what the King is planning."

"He's not planning," Galinda said. "He's put it in motion, but trust me, we've gotten it taken care of, we're running away."

"Good luck," He said sarcastically.

"You're coming with me, Chistery," Elphaba said. "I don't want to lose you."

Chistery looked at her incredulously. "Okay, Princess, but you need to leave quickly, I think the guard'll come to enforce what he's put into motion soon."

Elphaba nodded, took her friends' hands, and left the palace for something else, hoping that she and Galinda could soon find a way to get the clothes needed soon.


	9. Run Away and Never Return

**Originally, both this and the last chapter were one chapter, but in the end, I decided to split it in two to make it less confusing. So this may be a little bit shorter, okay, much shorter than my average chapter, but I still hope this is enjoyed. Besides, I seem to recall it as a short-ish scene in the play as well, but that might have just been how the company performed it.**

Fiyero was on a high as he returned to the Vinkus. He couldn't wait to get back to the palace and tell Avaric about the night that took a week's worth of journeying just to do. It even caused him to look forward to the meeting next month that Boq let him join in on. He could practice speaking, so that he could talk to the beautiful Lady Elphaba.

It was quite odd he was struck speechless, but even if she wasn't a Princess like he had thought, she still seemed to have _something_ about her that just made his voice refuse to come out. She was a proper lady, for one thing. He remembered how she pulled away the first time he tried to dance with her during a slow song, but quickly decided to stay with him. She dressed very conservatively, in a long, flowing dress that wouldn't have been much of a disguise despite going to chromium where her skin color was easily hidden.

About the only behavior he found unladylike she had shown was her public drunkenness. He could overlook that due to the announcement it was her eighteenth birthday. He knew he was in a worse state than Elphaba was on his celebration, despite barely making an appearance at the ball his regents held for him.

One day he'll get to the Emerald Palace and introduce himself properly. He couldn't wait for that day to come. It should come soon since Boq was relenting.

When he got to the Golden Palace, his home, he saw Avaric standing outside with a few small boxes nearby.

"Av!" Fiyero shouted gleefully waving his hand. "I'm back! Anyone notice I was gone?"

"Everyone," Avaric said.

Fiyero laughed. "Nice joke, I can't believe my advisors would miss me, other than you, of course!"

"They really did, Boq put a target on you the moment you left the castle, possibly before. And it only got bigger after what we heard about that dance you went to."

"Do I have any way to get to my room and get my things?"

"No time, Your Majesty. I got what I could of yours before they could notice. I have some of your clothes and food for you" He gestured to one of the boxes, luggage. "Though I'm sure they expected me to do that. I'll have to face the punishment for it."

"Do you have any way to get to your room and get your things, then?"

Avaric looked at him. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, Av. I don't want you to face the consequences for aiding me. Oz is big. I learned that this time, I got to the place barely in time. I don't want to keep hiding in it alone. Come with me."

"Y-your Majesty… You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious. I don't want you to be hurt."

Avaric looked around. "That food won't quite last as far as I was hoping you could get, but it'll get us somewhere closer I can think of that's safe for you to hide for however long this takes."

"What about clothes for you?"

"No time," Avaric said. "Come on Your Majesty! Follow me!"

"Call me Fiyero now, Av."

The smile on Avaric's face when he said that meant a lot to Fiyero. Despite the hardships they were going to face, he knew that his only loyal former Advisor would be able to face them easier, and Fiyero was almost looking forward to what was going to happen.


	10. The Wizard's Encampment

The Wizard and his more loyal nobles had fled to the forest and actually happened to be quite comfortable as they were.

While the occasional man would speak up and propose the Wizard take back what's rightfully his, the Wizar would simply laugh and say "You know as well as I do that he has the same right to Oz as I do. He just happened to manage the coup much neater. Although I might be able to get myself into his good side one day. After all, I do have some things about me that would be unpopular if he spurned me and I came peacefully."

Most of the men accepted the Wizard's resignation to return to power and taught him the various traditions of the Gillikin.

"I can't believe you never knew it before," one of the lords said.

"Even if I showed myself to all of you, I couldn't risk to be seen by those I didn't trust. It seems I trusted too much."

The first tradition he learned was how to hunt. He caught on quickly, having been taught as a child on the Other Side. He hadn't needed to do so in a long time, so it was a nice refresher.

Every night, the men gathered around the fire built, some began to sing or play instruments they managed to rescue when they left with the Wizard. Others danced. Together they all tried to get the Wizard to join, which he did so readily. He learned much more about Ozian culture every day.

"If only I were allowed to come out of hiding," He said as he spun around. "The people would love that I was willing to join them in the merriment."

"I know," Said one of the men. "He may have every right to the throne as you, but that doesn't mean you deserve it back. I'm sure your daughter will find a way to get through to him. If not getting you back, then getting her to take the throne."

"That can't be done," Another man said walking in.

"Why Venz," The Wizard said. "Where have you been?"

The man, Venz, shrugged idly. "I've been listening for various rumors. Upland has decided that you made a lot of bad choices and purging Oz of them. He thinks the advisors should rule the Vinkus instead of the shallow-minded king you installed as a child."

"That boy was anything but when his parents died. From what I heard, he was eager to be king, though wished his father could help him. That's why the regents were installed."

"Also, those regents didn't do their job. He's shallow-minded because they kept him from learning anything that would make him a good king."

"Preposterous," The Wizard said. "Venz, come dance with us."

"Not until you hear the next piece of news. It is of great importance."

"Venz…"

"He got rid of your daughter when she turned eighteen."

"Th-that was only a week ago. Where is she?"

"The official statement is she can't return to the Emerald City, and if she's caught, she'll be killed."

"Was she in the city during the proclamation?"

Venz nodded. "I'd be surprised if he actually gave her a grace period."

"Sh-Elphaba… She knows a lot of spells. I'm certain she could escape even if she didn't. The Winkie… what about him?"

"Sentenced to execution, but there were some crazy rumors that he met your daughter and learned the news of his danger as well in time and in hiding. I doubt both very much."

"Remind me to remove them from power when I get back to the Emerald City. You may go and learn more, Venz, but I hope there is good next time."

"Thank you sire." The man known as Venz left.

One of the other men laughed as soon as he did. "You honestly don't believe he'd bring anything that wasn't like that. He'll probably come saying their bodies have been found. Or that Upland killed his daughter for being upset at sending away Elphaba. You want good news from beyond the forest, you should have sent someone else."

The Wizard nodded. Even in the past, Venz seemed to be more willing to tell him about one farm's crop failure instead of the bumper crop at several others to more than make up for the one failure in his land.

"Don't forget that poetry he seems to always write," Another man yelled out laughing. "Always dreadfully morbid."

"Let's forget this then," The Wizard said. "Start the music up again, I want to dance." They were more than glad to comply. Unfortunately, Venz's words had got to him, that his daughter was banished? And likely dead? He had Upland's word that she would not be harmed.

Sure, Elphaba was a little firey and stubborn, but other than the occasional item breaking (Usually about four a year, and on the decline for the past few years) she was completely harmless and wouldn't plan a coup. Would she?

And the regents defied his orders? But he was the most important at the time; Madame Morrible agreed. Who would be able to lie to him about everything going fine in the West?

He put off the questions, hoping to lose them in the dancing.

What he didn't know was that his daughter was alive and well, and at the time, she was entering the Great Gillikin Forest with her best friend (Current Princess of Oz) and the Monkey he gave the role of Fool to keep his daughter entertained, the two girls in disguise.


	11. Discontinued

So Keep Dancing Through:

I'm sorry. This story is discontinued. I wish I had a good reason for stopping this, but I really don't. The best I can come up with is that my feelings on G(a)linda/Boq have dropped real low to the point that this story (Which would have had it) can't be finished. I may or may not return to it, but I'm also not feeling all that funny these days and can't write for it.

My best request if for you to go buy or borrow a copy of _As You Like It_ by Shakespeare (I would recommend the Folger Shakespeare Library version. But I'm pretty open to everything except the Sparknotes and Sparknotes-like versions.

A brief summary of other things I was going to change:

Fiyero was not going to write love poetry to Elphaba, instead, he'd be rehearsing mediocre pick-up lines.

Elphaba was going to offer to teach him, the fake marriage scene instead being a fake date, with a lot of borderline-ooc Fiyero Abuse (Such as "No! Lady Elphaba would not eat meat, and until you get a third date, it would be best to act the same.")

I'd be cutting Audrey or whatever Touchstone's love interest was (Or combine her with the farmhand's lover)

Dillamond would have given Elphaba, Glinda, and Chistery shelter and would have been running an underground animal resistance. There would have been two chimps as the other two characters I can't remember the names of.

It would all end at Shiz.

That's about all I can remember right now. I'm sorry that I can't continue this story, but I might return to it someday.


End file.
